


Hideaway

by pikablob



Series: The Multiverse [1]
Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi | Spirited Away, Wonder Park (2019)
Genre: Adoption, Alternate Universe - Science Fiction, Basically Sally runs a space B&B, Crossover, Fluff, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Sickfic, and adopts a lot of children
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-22
Updated: 2020-04-19
Packaged: 2020-05-16 04:57:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,753
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19311085
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pikablob/pseuds/pikablob
Summary: Lost and alone, June came to the interdimensional station of Argo seeking a fresh start. But after some run-ins with a well-meaning local woman and her adoptive children, she finds the family she's been missing for so long.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Optional Soundtrack: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-prczfRWCE
> 
> Ending Song: https://youtu.be/AbBMYHlo9vI
> 
> List so far of everyone on Argo (in case anyone's interested): https://sta.sh/01cbncosslws
> 
> (Somewhat rewritten as of 19/04/2020 - I added a few more scenes and split it into two chapters as a result)

The shuttle touched down with the screech of grinding metal. June stood up, pulling on her backpack and heading for the exit. There was nobody else in the cabin; no one else from the interplanetary liner was getting off. The door opened with the hiss of aging pneumatics. She stepped through, out into the harsh artificial lights of Argo Station.

Inside it wasn’t exactly a large place; the whole station consisted of a single, somewhat grimy medium-sized hangar, with space for maybe three light freighters and a raised concourse with four or five shops around it. Half of them were hidden behind tarpaulins and scaffolding, while pallets of materials were strewn across the hanger floor. The sound of someone using an electric saw echoed from nearby.

June frowned, reaching into her pocket and pulling out the crumpled brochure the company had given her at Charon. She held it up in front of the view, comparing the gleaming promotional render to the actual state of the place. It didn’t even compare. The pamphlet did admit the station was ‘under refurbishment’, but now that was seeming like a serious understatement.

There were a few people around, mostly labourers working amid the scaffolding. The exception was a gaggle of children and teens on the upper terrace, accompanied by a woman in her thirties and a greying man in a long brown overcoat. The only ship in the hangar, presumably belonging to them, was a large grey light freighter sitting off to one side.

A rumble behind her signalled the shuttle’s departure. She glanced back to watch it fly lazily out of the hangar and back towards the interstellar liner that loomed behind it. With it went her last chance to back out of staying here. She shook her head and kept walking.

Ahead, between the shuttered doors of two workshops, was an old manual door labelled as ‘Facilities’. She pulled the ID card she’d been given from her pocket and pressed it to the card reader on the lock. It opened with a clunk, and she pushed the door open to reveal a small, dark room.

The light switch was behind the door. She flicked it on and a single halogen light flickered to life overhead. It was a small office, with a basic desk, a computer, and little else. There was another door in the far wall, left unlocked.

Beyond was another small room, with a few boxes of supplies piled against the side walls. A basic mattress rested on the floor in the centre, with a pile of cheap sheets dumped on top of it. She took a deep breath; it wasn’t much, but this would serve as home for a while.

* * *

It had been an unusually quiet morning at the Seabed & Breakfast. With no overnight guests and few customers for breakfast it was still empty as lunchtime rolled around. With no work to do, Sally found herself waiting behind the counter.

She was waiting for a visit from Argo Facilities; last night the shower in Nico and Bianca’s bathroom had broken, refusing to run hot. Of course, that had triggered an argument over which of the other showers they should use and meant everyone went to bed tired and irritable. She yawned slightly.

Watching through the front windows, she caught sight of a girl walking up the stairs from hangar level. It wasn’t anyone she recognised; Argo had maybe thirty permanent residents, so even in the few weeks she had been living here she’d met most of them already. The girl was either one of the few who had managed to avoid her, or someone entirely new.

She looked twelve at the most, thin and gangly with pale skin and short auburn hair. She wore not-quite-clean orange hoodie that was fraying in a couple places, and was gripping tightly to the straps of her backpack as if afraid someone might steal it. There was a look about her of weariness, like there was some unseen weight upon her. She was walking straight for the Seabed. The door slid open as she reached it and she stepped inside. She looked up at Sally, her expression neutral.

“Hi,” she began, “One of your showers is broken?” Sally blinked, before looking the girl up and down again. She had been fairly certain the girl was a runaway, and it hadn’t even occurred to her that she might be a member of staff.

“You’re from Facilities?”

“Yup,” the girl said bluntly, “June Bailey, Facilities & Maintenance. I got your ticket.”

“Oh, okay,” Sally said apprehensively. “It’s one of the ones my family use; I can show you.” She quickly lead June into the back and to the offending shower, not taking her eyes off her for a second. June immediately stepped into the shower, dropping her backpack and unzipping it.

“The hot water going off is fairly common,” she said, more to herself than to Sally, “It means the cartridge has probably gone. They never last as long as they should. Just give me a few minutes.”

“Can I get you anything?” Sally asked. June looked up at her, confused. “To eat or drink, while you work,” she clarified, “Or anything else you need.”

“I’m fine, thanks,” June said abruptly. She turned back to the shower, pulling a small wrench from her backpack and setting to work. She quickly dismantled the temperature control, laying out the components neatly on the floor as she did.

“Okay,” Sally said after a moment, “I’ll be out front if you need me.” She walked slowly out of the room. June murmured in acknowledgment, not bothering to look back.

As she sat back down behind the counter, Sally found herself wondering what the girl’s living situation was. She wasn’t dressed in anything resembling work clothes and was definitely too young to be working alone, but she had seemed to know what she was doing.

A few minutes later June emerged, carrying an awkwardly-shaped bit of plumbing in one grimy hand. Her other hand was again on the strap of her bag, gripping it tightly. “I’ve replaced the cartridge,” she explained, holding the part up so Sally could see. “I’ve tested it, and the hot water works.”

“Thank you,” Sally smiled warmly at her.

“Is there anything else? I could take a look at the other showers if you want. They might be close to failure.”

“I’m sure it’s fine,” she assured her. “I can always let you know if anything else goes wrong.”

“Okay,” June shrugged. She paused for a second, before holding up the broken cartridge. “Hey, you don’t mind if I keep this, do you?”

“Of course I don’t mind,” Sally replied. “I’ve no use for it. But…” she trailed off, not quite sure how to phrase her question.

“Yeah?”

“Is everything alright at home?” she asked gently. June froze for a second, before stepping back; her breathing quickened.

“Yeah,” she said quickly, “Everything’s great. No need to worry about me.” She forced a smile and turned to hurry away. Sally watched her go, worry settling in her gut.

* * *

A week later, Sally found herself outside the Facilities door. She was technically on-shift, but traffic had been light and Osono from the bakery had been more than happy to watch the Seabed while she came down here.

Pretty much everyone she had asked had given the same response; whilst various workers had done repairs while the construction work was underway, since it had wrapped up they’d only seen June. Wilson had seen her the most, since his workshop was right next to the Facilities office, and by his account nobody else ever went in or out. It confirmed one of her fears; the girl was the only one working the station’s maintenance.

Sally knocked and waited. There was silence from inside, save for the distant sound of singing. She tried the handle and the door, left unlocked, swung open with a click.

Inside was a small office. A desk sat in the centre, with a computer, a tablet, some pens, a stack of post-its, and a small picture frame on top. Sally approached, trying to ignore the guilt that came with invading June’s privacy. The picture caught her eye, and she took a closer look.

It was worn and faded, making it look much older than it was. June was in the centre, sandwiched between two adults who could only have been her parents. She looked at most a year younger than the present; the weariness was gone, her hoodie was clean, and she was smiling, but her eyes were red and puffy from crying. She clung tightly to her mother, who lay in a sterile white bed.

The woman looked hideously frail, with a dozen different tubes and wires snaking away to various monitoring devices, but her eyes still shone with life and love for her daughter. Her husband was stooped awkwardly to hug them both tightly, as if afraid they might slip from his grasp. Looking at them reminded of her own son, and the other children she’d taken in. Something awful must have happened, she decided, to tear such a family apart.

The faint singing was clearer in here; as Sally looked away from the photo she listened to it. She could make out June’s voice from behind the door in the back wall, singing to herself. The lyrics were something about pi, of all things. Sally knocked on the door and it stopped abruptly.

There was a brief sound of footsteps and then the door swung open. June was standing behind it, looking up at Sally in confusion.

“Oh,” she said, “You’re the woman from the B&B, right? With the broken shower? Do you need something else fixed?”

“Please, call me Sally,” Sally replied, “I just wanted to talk to you.”

“About what?”

“Well, about you,” she explained. “You’re living here alone, aren’t you?”

June visibly tensed, and Sally could hear her breathing grow faster and shallower. “Yes,” she said quickly. “So what?”

Sally chose her words carefully. “I just think someone your age shouldn’t be living on their own,” she began, “So I want you to know that there’s always a bed at the Seabed if you need it.”

“You want me to come stay with you?”

“Only if you want to,” she reassured. “I just think it would be better than you being alone.”

“What’s wrong with here?” June challenged.

“You’re still a child,” Sally said gently, “Too young to be living on your own like this. If you get hurt or sick or need help you’ve got nobody to go to. In most places a girl your age wouldn’t even be allowed to work, let alone live independently. And even if it was safe, you shouldn’t be worrying about being self-sufficient at your age.”

“I can handle myself,” June protested, folding her arms, “I don’t need help; heck, this place needs my help. I’m the one keeping it from falling apart.”

“I know, and you’re doing a great job,” Sally replied. “You’re a capable engineer. But that doesn’t mean you should be living on your own in unfamiliar space.” She paused for a moment, letting out a sigh. June frowned, not budging. “If you’re determined to stay, then I won’t stop you. Just, at least take my number, so if anything happens you have someone to contact.”

“Will it stop you worrying?” June raised an eyebrow.

“Yes,” Sally lied.

“Then fine, sure.”

She turned around and picked up a pen from the desk. On the top post-it note she scribbled her number for Argo’s internal phone system, before pulling it free. She passed it to June, giving the girl a sincere smile. June looked at the note skeptically for a moment, before her expression softened slightly and she cast her gaze downwards.

“Thanks,” she said quietly. She turned away quickly, shutting the door behind her.

* * *

It was a particularly cold night; June found herself wondering if she needed to adjust the station's air-conditioning as she ambled along Argo’s upper level, slowly making her way home. One part of her wanted to get a move on, to get home and collapse on her bed after a long day’s working on the station’s systems. But her cold little room was too quiet and lonely, and she dragged her feet as she made her way down there.

That day had been hard; she had woken with what felt like a bad cold, a dull ache in her head and her nose running. It had only gotten worse as she had worked. By the time she walked home her head throbbed with every step, she was shivering, and her throat felt like it was threatening to close up.

The concourse was dark; the whole station was in night mode and had been for some time. But light spilled out of a couple of the shop fronts, slicing through the darkness. The largest flood was ahead, where a warm glow shone through the front windows of the bed and breakfast. The faint sound of music echoed from inside.

She paused, curiosity getting the better of her, and crept up to the corner of the window. Inside she could see it was only the lights over the counter still glowing, creating a sort of substitute for warm evening light; even that was enough to hurt her head. The whole cafe had been rearranged; the tables were shoved to the sides, and a rough circle of chairs had been made around a large space heater.

Sally and her children sat in the circle, halfway through what sounded like a campfire song. Sally herself had a guitar on her knee, while an olive-haired boy was playing a similar looking Asian instrument and a girl in a striped shirt played the fiddle. There were smiling faces all around, filling the air with a discordant, happy singing rendered faint by the glass.

Something inside June twinged. She remembered her own parents, and the time they’d spent building Wonderland together. The memories kept coming back unbidden, but as she remembered she found things felt different. All the times her mom had coughed or sounded raspy, or had to go and sit down, and claimed it was nothing. Had she really been sick all that time, or was what had happened screwing with June’s memory?

She looked back into the B&B, specifically up at Sally. There was no real physical resemblance, but June still saw her mother in the warmth, in the smile, in the happiness she spread and the concern she showed. That was why she couldn’t take the woman up on her offer; she couldn’t set herself up for another loss she couldn’t take. She looked away and hung her head.

She walked away slowly, down the creaking metal stairs and through the Facilities door. She didn’t bother flicking on her room’s light, dumping her backpack on the floor and kicking her shoes off before flopping onto the bed.

The sudden movement sent a spike of pain through her skull, like a knife twisting in her brain. Her throat was burning, and she felt the sting of bile at the back of her throat. The whole room felt freezing. Everything hurt.

She reached for her bedside table in a feverish haze, gripping Peanut tightly and dragging the old plushie close against her body. It did little to dull the throbbing. As she did her gaze settled on the scrap of paper Sally had given her, resting against her phone; feeling the burning in her head grow, she knew what she had to do.

* * *

It was a Friday night at the Seabed & Breakfast, and Song Night was in full swing. Everyone had come together, and the kids were all eager to sing along. They all huddled in the centre of the café’s main room, perched on chairs pulled into a rough circle around an electric heater. Songs rang out around the makeshift campfire and the air was thick with laughter and cheering as Luke lead the music.

But Sally couldn’t relax. After she had given June her number, she’d asked Wilson to keep an eye on the girl just in case. For nearly three weeks he had reported nothing, and in the few encounters Sally had had with the girl she had been the same as always.

But now she was sure something was up; according to him June hadn’t come out at all for three days. The worry gnawed at the back of Sally’s mind, not letting her relax. Some of the others had noticed; Bianca had been giving her concerned looks all evening, and Haku had asked if she was alright.

The phone rang. The song stopped abruptly, the kids all turning to the desk where the phone sat with a mixture of confused and annoyed expressions. Sally stood up, hurrying over and picking it up. She put on her best customer service voice. “Hello, Seabed & Breakfast; how may I help you?”

“Is Sally there?” the person on the other end asked weakly. It was a girl’s voice, hoarse and quiet, and one she recognised.

“I’m here,” she replied quickly, “June? Is everything okay?”

There were a series of loud, hacking coughs, and then a moment of silence. “No,” June finally choked out. “It hurts.”

“What hurts?”

“Everything,” the girl replied, breaking into another coughing fit.

“Hang on,” Sally said gently, “I’ll be right there. You’re going to be fine; don’t worry, okay?” June murmured in acknowledgement. Sally put the phone down, turning to see the entire of her little mismatched family staring at her. “It’s June,” she explained, heading rapidly for the door, “She’s very sick, and she needs my help. I won’t be gone long; I need you to have a bed ready for her when I get back.”

“On it,” Luke assured her, followed by a chorus of assent from the others.

With that settled, she practically sprinted out of the Seabed and across the concourse, down the stairs and on until she reached the Facilities door. Everything was dark; the station’s lights were long cycled to night mode and there was no light beyond the door. The office beyond was similarly dark, but a faint green glow came through the crack under June’s door. Sally knocked.

“June? Are you in there?” she asked. There was a faint but audible groan of pain in response. “I’m coming in, okay?”

She opened the door, and found herself standing in front of a cramped bedroom. One wall was piled high with boxes of spare parts, while the other was bare save for a small pinboard with a couple of June’s other photos from home and some scribbled blueprints. The only light came from a set of glow-in-the dark stars glued to the ceiling, casting a faint green glow over everything.

In the centre was a mattress sitting on the floor, with a heap of mismatched sheets and blankets on top of it. The heap shifted and Sally hurried over, kneeling down and gently pulling back the covers. Underneath June was curled into the fetal position, flushed yet shivering despite the covers. Her face was scrunched up in pain, and she was still clutching the phone in one hand while her other clung tightly to a small stuffed monkey.

“June?” Sally asked softly. The girl flinched, before opening her eyes and looking up. Her pupils were dilated, and her gaze wandered around Sally’s face. The illness was clearly affecting her; she didn’t seem really aware of what was happening.

“Sally?”

“Shhh, I’m here,” Sally reassured. She reached down to gently press a hand against June’s forehead; it was boiling. “You’re running a really bad fever, but you’re going to be okay.” June shivered again. “I’m going to take you back to the Seabed, okay?”

She didn’t wait for permission, scooping June up as gently as she could and standing up. She wasn’t easy to lift, being a full-grown twelve year old, but Sally had more than one child her age and she was notably lighter than any of them. She dropped what she was holding and clutched Sally’s top in one hand, still only half-aware of her situation.

As gently and quickly as she could, she made her way back to the Seabed. The others crowded around the door as she entered, wide-eyed at the new arrival.

“Isn’t that the maintenance girl?” Percy blurted, before Bianca gently shushed him. Haku approached, his expression one of concern.

“We set up the first guest room,” he explained.

“Thank you,” Sally smiled. He gave a small bow. She turned to the others, speaking quietly. “June is badly ill; she’s going to be waking up in an unfamiliar place, and she’ll need a lot of help to get better. So please, try and be quiet and give her some space.” There were murmurs of assent; Nico gave a thumbs up. June let out a quiet groan.

Sally brought her into the bedroom. True to Haku’s word, they’d made up the bed and got everything ready, down to a glass of water and a box of fever pills on the bedside table. She set the girl down gently and reached for the bedside table, only to notice she was still being clung to.

She picked up the supplies the others had left and offered June the glass of water. She let go and took it, her hand shaking. Sally pressed two tablets of medicine from the pack and gently set them in her other hand.

“They’ll help you feel better,” the woman reassured. June downed them in one, followed by the entire glass. Sally took it back gently. “Now lay down; you need to rest.” June complied quietly, easing herself unsteadily down. Sally pulled the covers over her, and gently brushed the sweat-stuck hair from her forehead.

She seemed to relax as the medicine kicked in, untensing and letting out a quiet sigh. Sally went to wish her goodnight, only to notice she had already fallen asleep.


	2. Chapter 2

June awoke to a mild headache. She sat up slowly, looking around and trying to work out where she was. She clearly wasn’t in her own bedroom; this room was about twice the size, with medium-blue walls and faux-distressed floorboards half-covered by a thick rug.

The covers were white with pale blue stripes, beneath a darker blue weighted blanket. The room was sparsely-furnished, with just a small shelf and a wooden beside table. A couple of paintings, depicting seaside scenes, hung from the walls. There were two doors, both a traditional dark wood that contrasted the metal she had become used to.

The previous night’s events came back to her slowly as she properly woke up. She had called Sally after everything had gotten too much, and now she was back at the Seabed & Breakfast, probably in one of the guest rooms. She had no idea how long she had been asleep, or what the place’s other residents were doing.

It occurred to her then that Sally must’ve gone pretty far out of her way to help. It had been late at night, while the woman had probably been relaxing after a hard day’s work, and now she was occupying a room that should have been for guests to the B&B. She felt a stab of guilt, and resolved not to stay any longer than absolutely necessary.

She resolved to find Sally, to thank her for taking the time and apologise for the disruption. Her head still hurt, but it was much better than it had been, and in general she no longer felt nearly as bad. She was sure she could get on her feet. Slowly she got out of the bed; the room swum for a second when she sat up, but quickly stabilised.

She walked slowly out of the room and along the corridor. She emerged from the end into the front room, where mismatched wooden chairs stood around worn tables, and winced at the sudden brightness of the cafe’s lights.

“Hey,” a voice said softly, “What are you doing up?” She turned to see a boy about her age, with a neat bob of dark hair and a white outfit on. He wore a concerned frown.

“Where’s Sally?” she asked.

“She has to run some errands,” he replied. “She should be back soon. In the meantime you need to rest.”

“I’m fine.”

“You had a very bad fever last night,” he countered. “It may have broken, but you still aren’t well. You don’t have to sleep any more if you don’t want to, but you shouldn’t be up and about.”

“Okay,” she sighed. He gave a slight smile, and started leading her back to the room. “Oh, uh , what’s your name, by the way?”

“Haku,” he replied. “Now, try and rest; exerting yourself won’t help your recovery.”

“Yeah yeah, I know,” she rolled her eyes, walking back into the room as he held the door. He followed her, kneeling down beside the bed. She climbed back in slowly. “But I can’t stay in here all day; the station needs my help.”

“I’m sure it will be fine for a day,” he reassured. “You need to relax. Why don’t I tell you a story, to pass the time?”

“Okay,” she said, uncertain, “I guess?” He smiled.

“Once upon a time, there was a poor bamboo cutter…”

* * *

Sally walked briskly through the Seabed’s front door, pausing only to make sure she had left the sign in the window at ‘closed’. In her arms she carried a large cardboard box, filled with a variety of objects. Most were personal possessions she had retrieved from June’s room, including her photo and the stuffed monkey she had been clutching the night before.

Underneath all that, however, was something else; wrapped in plastic was a soft black hoodie she’d bought from the art shop at the other end of the concourse. She wasn’t sure exactly how much it was June’s style, but the only one the girl seemed to have needed serious washing and repair, and there weren’t many places on Argo to get a replacement, so Sally could only hope it would do.

She quickly headed through the B&B, walking out of the café and into the corridor. The door to the first guest room was sitting ajar, and she could properly make out the familiar voices of June and Haku from inside.

“So she just goes off back to the moon?” June was saying, her voice somewhere between amused and annoyed.

“Yes,” Haku replied. “I’ll admit, it isn’t the most satisfying ending, but it’s likely that’s what actually happened.”

“But it sucks,” she countered. “She shouldn’t have to leave her family like that, moon or not.”

Sally chose that moment to enter. “Sorry to interrupt,” she began. June’s gaze snapped over to her; the girl had a small but genuine smile on her face. Haku stood up from where he had been sitting on the bed, and smiled at Sally.

“You weren’t interrupting,” he excused. “I had finished telling the story.”

“It was great,” June explained, “Except for the ending.”

“Okay,” Sally smiled. “If you’re finished, then would you mind heading out front and opening up, Haku?”

“Of course,” he bowed slightly, more out of instinct than anything else, and turned to leave.

“Wait!” June called out. “Just… thanks, okay? For everything.”

“It was nothing,” he replied, before hurrying off. Sally stepped over, standing beside the bed.

“How are you feeling?” she asked softly. June paused, glancing down.

“Okay,” she admitted, easing herself out of bed and to her feet. “My head still kinda hurts, and I’m a little bunged up, but it’s a lot better.”

“Good to hear,” Sally smiled. June didn’t return it, keeping her gaze down.

“Thanks,” she said quietly, “I don’t know what would’ve happened if you hadn’t come. I’m sorry if I messed up all your plans.”

“Oh, June,” Sally gently put a hand on her shoulder. “It’s fine, really. Remember what I told you; you can always stay here if you need it.” June took a deep breath. She started to tear up, and frantically wiped at her eyes with a sleeve. “Anyway,” Sally continued, “That’s why I was out this morning: I had to pick up some things for you; I want you to stay here at least until you’re well again.”

She picked up the box from her feet and set it on the bed. June’s eyes widened immediately.

“Peanut!” she blurted, snatching the stuffed monkey from on top of the box. She pulled it close, before looking back at the other items. She immediately noticed the photo. Gingerly, she picked it up and held it up to the light. Her breaths grew faster and shallower, and Sally could see tears glistening at the edges of her eyes.

“I miss them,” she said quietly, the lump in her throat audible in her tone, “So much. When mom got sick she and dad said she was going to be okay, they said they knew special doctors who could help her. But she just kept getting worse and worse and then she- she…”

“June, honey, you don’t have to tell me,” Sally said softly, “It’s okay.” June was crying freely now, rubbing in vain at her eyes to try and stem the flow.

“N-no,” she replied, “I need to tell someone.” She took a deep breath, then continued. “While she was in hospital, and after she was gone, I did everything I could to keep dad safe. I couldn’t lose him too. But then one night, after I’d gone to bed, he went out to get something on his own; some food or something I don’t know. A-and there was an accident with a truck…”

She trailed off again, threatening to break into all-out sobbing.

“I should’ve been there,” she insisted. “If I’d gone with him then I could’ve seen the truck or helped in the wreck or something. But I wasn’t! And now him and mom are dead and I don’t have anyone and I didn’t know what to do so I ran. And now I’m here and I don’t know what to do anymore…”

Sally didn’t hesitate any longer. She knelt down and pulled June into a hug, letting the girl cry into her shoulder. She gently rubbed her back, holding her as the floodgates came down and sobs wracked her body. She hugged back, hanging on for dear life.

“S-sorry,” she managed to choke out between sobs.

“Shhh,” Sally soothed, “June, sweetie, you don’t have to apologise for anything, okay? You haven’t done anything wrong.”

“Mhmm,” June murmured. They stayed like that for a moment, just sharing the embrace, until June finally let go and moved slowly back, reduced to sniffling.

“I want to live with you,” she said finally. “I want to stay here and have friends and family and people who care but…”

“But what, honey?”

“I’m scared,” she admitted. “What if something happens to you too? Or I end up forgetting mom and dad?”

“June,” Sally said gently, “I’m not going anywhere; none of us are. And even if something were to happen, you’ll still have everyone else here and on the station. And trust me, you’ll always love and miss your parents, and that’s okay; we aren’t trying to replace them. We just also care a whole lot about you.” June was silent for a moment, seemingly deep in thought.

“Okay,” she replied finally, “Then I’ll do it; I’ll move in with your family.” Sally smiled.

“Not my family,” she said firmly, “Our family. You’re a part of it too.” She reached back into the box, pulling out the new hoodie, and presented it to her. “I was planning on giving you this regardless of what you chose. I know your old one probably has some sentimental value; I don’t want you to get rid of it, but I thought you should have something nicer to wear.”

June tore into the package, pulling the hoodie out and unfolding it to get a proper look. On the back was a bird, wings outstretched across the shoulder blades. Tears were forming in her eyes again, but she was smiling widely.

She leapt forwards, throwing her arms around Sally for the second time. “Thank you,” she said quietly, “So much.”

* * *

“You’re sure they’ll all be okay with it?” June asked nervously. She had only been living in the Seabed for a week, but already the place had her mark on it. Her room had her tablet and PC from Facilities, so she could keep up some of the work, and her bed was covered in a riot of colours she’d picked out herself.

On the wall she had hung a large posterboard with Haku and Chihiro’s help, and in the centre, on a lone piece of A3 paper, was the tentative centre of a new Wonderland blueprint; pinned in the middle was the charred scrap of the old one she'd somehow found all those weeks ago. While Peanut sat on her bed, the rest of the park’s mascots had their own shelf under the board.

Most of Sally’s other children had already been introduced, but not all. Luke, Thalia, and Annabeth had left on a courier job the same morning she had moved in, and hadn’t been back until that morning. She had said hello, but she hadn’t really had the chance to meet them, and thus leading her first Song Night seemed a daunting task.

“They’ll love you,” Bianca reassured her, placing a hand on her shoulder. “Now c’mon; we’re starting any second.”

She let herself be led back out front, where the café area had been rearranged. Ten chairs had been pulled into the centre, forming a circle around an electric heater, and most were already occupied. She quietly slipped into her own seat, between Percy and Nico, and looked down.

“So,” Luke began, “Since this is June’s first Song Night with us, I say she goes first.” June took a deep breath and looked up. She was greeted by the warm, smiling faces of her new family, and felt herself relax.

“Okay,” she said, “This is a song I learnt when I was at Math Camp last summer. It’s not all that long, but it should be fun.” She swallowed, and began to sing:

“ _Oh my, here comes pi, three-point-one-four, one-five, a constant we all know; the famous ratio!_ ”

Luke picked up the tune with his guitar, and ten pairs of feet stamped along.

“ _Oh my, here comes pi; how many can you memorise? It goes on and on: a never ending song!_ ”

Haku and Chihiro came in too, adding their own instruments’ sounds to the song.

“ _Hey, hey, it’s pi day! Make a circle, celebrate! The irrational action, that can’t be expressed as a simple fraction!_ ”

June looked around; everyone was grinning and joining in, enjoying the tune. She was finally home.

“Is that it?” Luke asked jokingly.

“Well, you’re supposed to sing it a bunch of times,” June replied, “So…”

“Again!” Nico declared. And just like that, the song began anew.

“ _Oh my, here comes pi, three-point-one-four, one-five…_ ”

* * *

June slept in late that morning, only getting up when the artificial sunlight of the station had been flooding her room for quite some time. It was still strange to wake up here, to soft blue walls and nice sheets instead of beige-painted metal and rough cotton. But it was a good kind of strange, the kind that made her feel all warm inside.

She slipped out of bed and pulled on her hoodie, more out of habit than necessity. The Seabed was never cold, largely thanks to her own work, but she always felt kind-of bare without a hoodie on and she was taking every opportunity she had to wear her new one.

She wandered out front slowly, hoping some of the others might be up. Sure enough, as she entered the closed café she was greeted by Luke, Thalia, and Annabeth all hanging out around one end of the counter. Annabeth was perched atop it, legs dangling above the wood floor, while the other two sat either side of her. The other end was piled high with bowls and plates; the next load for the dishwasher.

“Hey, June!”

“Hey guys,” June smiled. She was a lot more comfortable around them now, after how well her first Song Night had gone the night before, but she still didn’t feel like she knew them quite as well as the others. “Anything happening today?”

“Actually yeah,” Annabeth replied, a hint of uncertainty in her voice. “You know Fio, down on the hangar deck?”

June shook her head. “Don’t think I’ve met her.”

“Really?” Luke interjected. “I would’ve thought you’d be friends.” Annabeth frowned and stuck her tongue out at the interruption.

“Anyway,” she continued, “Fio runs all the ship maintenance for Argo with her apprentice, Tombo, and on the side they custom-build ships. And we all help out. Well, me, Seiji, and Mr. Nishi do.”

“And you want me to help?” June couldn’t keep an excited smile off her face.

“Yeah,” Annabeth nodded. “The engine for the newest ship arrived today, and we’re doing a whole bunch of work on it this afternoon.”

“Cool,” June agreed. “I’ll come along.”

“That’s great!”

June stepped away, letting the trio get back to it, and headed for the cupboards. Approaching footfalls heralded the arrival of someone else; she glanced at the café’s back entrance to see Haku walking in.

“Hey,” she waved.

“Morning Kohaku,” Luke added. Haku bowed slightly in response. June paused: it wasn’t the first time she had heard him called that, and her curiosity was piqued.

“Good morning.”

“Wait,” she said quickly, “I’ve been meaning to ask you something.” He paused, head tilted towards her. “Is Kohaku your full name? And do you prefer being called that or just Haku?”

“I don’t mind either,” he explained gently. “They’re both shortened forms. My full name is ‘The Kohaku River’.”

She blinked in surprise, looking him up and down sceptically. “Your name is ‘The Kohaku River’?”

“Yes.”

“That can’t be right. What kind of a name is that?!” The words slipped out before she could think about it. He shifted; while he didn’t look hurt, the smile seemed to dim from his eyes. She got the strangest sense he was all too used to this kind of reaction.

“I don’t think she knows…” Thalia observed, standing up from her stool.

“Knows what?” June asked quickly. Thalia ignored her.

“You wanna explain it?” she asked him. He looked over to where the others were still sitting at the counter, then shook his head.”

“Annabeth is best at explaining it,” he said with a twinkle in his eyes. Annabeth broke into a proud smile and hopped down from the counter.

“Kohaku’s a kami,” she said matter-of-factly, “A broad category of spirit venerated in folk Shinto. They can be anything from local entities to full blown gods.”

“Woah,” June breathed, turning to Haku, the realisation dawning in her. “So you’re a river spirit?”

“The embodiment of the Kohaku River,” Annabeth continued. “In English, the Swift Amber River; it was a small urban river in Tama City, at least until it was drained and built over.”

“So you lost your home?” June asked quietly. He frowned, before nodding.

“Yes.”

“Sorry,” she said gently, “I had no idea.”

“Hey, no-one’s blaming you,” Luke interjected.

“We’ve all lost something here.” The corners of Haku’s mouth quirked up just the slightest amount; June was already well-aware that was about the most she could expect from him. “But the Seabed is my home now, like it is for all of us.”

“Huh,” June smiled, “I guess that’s right.”

“Wait!” Annabeth cut in. “This means June hasn’t seen your other form, right?”

“Other form?” June asked, confused, while he just nodded.

“But there isn’t space in here to show it,” he observed.

“Then let’s go outside!” Annabeth declared.

“Alright,” he agreed, starting for the main door. She ran ahead, grinning. He beckoned to June. “Come on.” She followed, not entirely sure what she was about to see.

Thalia and Luke shared a chuckle as they watched the group head out. It seemed the Seabed’s newest member still had a lot to learn about its inhabitants. As the front door slid shut, Thalia turned to Luke.

“So, who gets to tell her about the rest of us?”

**Author's Note:**

> Check out this amazing commission Somajesticdonki did for me!!: https://donkcreations.tumblr.com/post/185993775150/commission-for-pikablob-based-on-his-cool  
> And this one from summer-arts of June with her new hoodie!!: https://summer-arts.tumblr.com/post/186007930326/commission-for-pikablob-3-commission-info  
> And one more!!: https://reverseinversedisperse.tumblr.com/post/186958121482/commission-for-pikablob-full-piece-with-two


End file.
